Statistics About Common Skin Conditions

When discussing skin conditions, it’s important to understand how common or uncommon they can be within the general population. Acne in general is the most common skin condition, and everyone has experienced to a degree it while growing up, and many still continue to get acne well into adulthood. A majority of people will most likely experience other skin conditions as well as they age. Here are four statistics about common disorders of the skin:

• Experiencing hair loss? It’s most likely androgenic alopecia – This is the most common type of of hair loss. Androgenic alopecia is hereditary and causes thinning and baldness, and an estimated 80 million Americans have this condition, with men outnumbering the women, by 50 million to 30 million. However, there are also temporary causes of hair loss, which can include disorders of the thyroid, lupus, hairstyles that put too much stress on the scalp, and chemicals from shampoos or straighteners. There are also medical treatments, like prescription drugs and chemotherapy that can cause certain forms of hair loss, but keep in mind these are temporary. Androgenic alopecia can be treated using certain medications, and platelet-rich plasma injections.
• Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer – Every day, there are an estimated 9,500 Americans diagnosed with skin cancer. Another fact is that invasive melanoma is the 5th most common cancer for men and women in 2019. In the same year, just over 7000 deaths are attributed to melanoma, or around 20 deaths per day. The good thing is that skin cancer is treatable when detected early, so remember to give yourself a monthly skin exam, and to visit your dermatologist every year for a more thorough examination of your moles and lesions.
• Rosacea is most common people between their 30’s and 60’s – Around 16 million Americans either have this condition or are suspected to have this condition. This disease is more common for those with fair skin, with blonde hair and blue eyes. Women have a higher chance of developing rosacea than men, but family history also comes into play as to whether or not you would inherit this condition. Currently, there is no cure for rosacea, but there are treatments available to control symptoms.
• A majority of psoriasis patients are those entering or in their middle ages – The highest proportion of psoriasis occurrence is between the ages of 45 and 64. Keep in mind though that while 7.5 million Americans do have this condition, 80% of them suffer from mild to moderate manifestations. This type of psoriasis is called plaque psoriasis and is characterized by reddish patches of skin that are raised, with some scaling. Just like rosacea, there is no current cure for psoriasis but symptoms can be managed by controlling  flare-ups and through medical treatment from a licensed dermatologist.